Ethel Viola Johnson Shaw, 90, of Adairsville, joyfully reunited with her late husband, Norman, the evening of Thursday, November 5 when she peacefully passed away at their home.
Born September 23, 1930, in Brunswick, GA, she was the daughter of the late Vivian Browne Johnson and the late Monroe Dykes Johnson. After spending her early childhood in Brunswick, the family moved to Texas where she completed her education.
Mrs. Shaw was a classically trained vocalist. For a large part of her life she used her beautiful voice to celebrate the weddings of family and friends, to comfort them at funerals, and to provide joy in their worship. Most of all, she loved to share her talent at her home church of Connesena Baptist Church in Kingston. She was also a pianist and a violinist.
Even though she trained as a vocalist before and during her college years at North Texas State University, Mrs. Shaw ultimately chose a commercial (business) degree from that institution. In the early 1950s, she moved to Adairsville where she began a new chapter in life teaching at the Adairsville and Cass schools. She was very proud of her students and kept newspaper articles marking their 25th and 50th class reunions in the old school annuals from her teaching career.
It was while teaching at Adairsville that she met Norman, who taught veterans' classes. They fell deeply in love and began building a 60-year marriage in which she focused on raising their four children and caring for her in-laws and her own parents. Over the years, Mrs. Shaw was a member of the Sans Souci Women's Club, the Adairsville Lions Club, Connesena Vacation Bible School director and church treasurer. Her true passion and focus, however, remained her family.
Mrs. Shaw helped support her family with the massive numbers of tomatoes, green beans, pickles, and other vegetables that she canned or froze from the family's yearly garden. Her creative talents included design and custom creation of casual and church clothes, as well as prom and formal gowns, for her children. She loved to crochet and quilt. And, she was literally and figuratively, the driving force behind football, band, 4-H, basketball, and youth group activities for her son and daughters.
Her survivors include her children, Kay (Dennis) McCollough, Anna (Robert) Sullivan, Phyllis (Andy) Ray, and Norman Glenn (Candy) Shaw. Her grandchildren include Megan Ray (Brandon) Beckerman, Brooke Ray (Devin) Watson, and Stephanie Ray, as well as Tara, Faith, and Natalie Shaw, and Connor, USMC Sgt. Ethan, Katherine, and Daniel Sullivan. Two joys of Mrs. Shaw's life are her great-grandchildren Rex and Nova Watson. She is also survived by one first cousin of the same age, Trudie Gibbs of Jonesborough, TN, with whom she shared a lifelong friendship and hours of daily laughter on the phone in the last few months. Numerous nieces and nephews also remain to cherish her memory.
Due to current health concerns in our community, the family plans a private remembrance at the Chapel of R. Dudley Barton and Son Funeral Home at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10. If desired, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Connesena Baptist Church, c/o Church Treasurer Kim McClure, 1224 Rock Fence Road NW, Adairsville, GA 30103 to honor Mrs. Shaw's love of music.

R. Dudley Barton & Son Funeral Home, Adairsville, is in charge of arrangements for Ethel Viola Johnson Shaw.